Mitsubishi has announced that it will recall 10,000 Outlander SUV to fix a faulty bracket that affixes the muffler cutter to the exhaust muffler.
The faulty device concerns vehicles built September 2006 and July this year and will it will be replaced by a stronger one. No accidents have been reported because of this faulty component.
MMC said it has received 12 complaints from drivers.
Company sources revealed that the Mitsubishi Concept-RA previews the next-generation Eclipse which might be sold in Europe for the first time.
At this stage, this is pure speculation as the information has not been confirmed, but selling the Eclipse on the European market would help Mitsubishi to revamp its brand image here. Of course, the Eclipse will have to be close to the concept car styling if the Japanese car maker wants the Eclipse model to succeed on the competitive small coupé market. Unfortunately, Mitsubishi’s long history proves that its models look always too conventional compared to its concept cars.
This is not the first time, Mitsubishi would sell a coupé in Europe as it imported the Mitsubishi 3000 GT in the ’90s. Unveiled in 1990, the car was derived from the HSX concept car seen at the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show. It featured a 3.0-litre V6 engine which had an output of 276bhp.
Mitsubishi has released the first sketches of the concept-car it will reveal at next year’s Detroit Motor Show. It might be a styling exercise that previews the next-generation Eclipse coupé sold on the US market. Dubbed RA-Concept, the coupé is based on an aluminium space frame and features a diesel engine, the first concept-car with such an engine to be revealed at an American motor show.
The coupé features an aggressive overall shape with sharp lines, air intakes and an arched roof line. The rear end reminds us the Porshce Bosxter while the front features the new corporate fascia. The sketches are appealing but Mitsubishi has a habit to discard the most innovative and interesting ideas when moving from the drawing board to reality.
Sitting on an aluminium space frame, the RA-Concept features an all-wheel drive transmission coupled with an improved version of the Dual clutch gearbox called Twin Clutch SST. The car will be powered by a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbocharged diesel which has an power output of 201bhp and a torque of 310 lb ft thanks to the MIVEC, a continuously variable valve timing control, and a turbocharger with variable geometry. The car is equipped with a new catalytic converter that combines a diesel oxidation catalyst, a NOx trap catalyst and a diesel particulate filter in order to comply with the US regulations.
Do not expect to see this hot Mitsubishi as it is destined for the Japanese market. Launched in 2006, this sporty version gets an upgrade for 2008. Its 1.5 litre turbocharged engine has been tweaked to raise the output from 154 bhp to 163 bhp.
The new 2008 Colt also features a lightly revised interior with a new gearbox knob, new 16” wheels and a new seat trim.
It has been revealed that the twin-clutch gearbox will not be featured on the first Evo X. Indeed, the Japanese carmaker is encountering a few problems with building the gearboxes.
Dubbed the Twin Clutch SST (short for Sport Shift Transmission), the new gearbox offers the same characteristics as the VW’s gearbox. One clutch deals with the first, the third and the fifth gears while a second clutch deals with the second, fourth and sixth gears. The gearbox offers three modes: city, sport and super-sport.
For the time being, however, the Evo X will be equipped with a five-speed manual gearbox.
According to the Dutch magazine Auto Vision, Mitsubishi will unveil a small crossover at the next Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
The car will be smaller than the Outlander and will be presented as a design study to gauge public reaction. If the reaction is positive, the crossover will be sold in Europe in 2009. This would not be the first time that Mitsubishi has sold a small SUV. In the past it sold the Pajero Pinin. Designed and built by Pininfarina, the SUV did not meet its expected sales figure.
In Japan, Mitsubishi also offers a small SUV, the Pajero Mini. Set to compete on the Kei car market, its length is limited to 3.395m and its engine has a limited capacity of 660cm3. Turbocharged, it produces 64bhp, just enough to go uphill.
For PSA, the small crossover may be an opportunity to expand its SUV range. The collaboration with Mitsubishi on the Peugeot 4007/Citroën C-Crosser/Mitsubishi Outlander models has been successful. Why not continue the partnership?
In anticipation of the official launch at the next Frankfurt motor show, Mitsubishi is continuing to release more details about the next Evo at regular intervals. Compared to the Subaru Impreza, which was not well received, the Evo is rather an appealing compact saloon. We could even go so far as to call it Mitsubishi’s 156 model. Yesterday the carmaker revealed that the new Evo will have a twin-clutch gearbox and an updated four-wheel drive system.
Dubbed the Twin Clutch SST (short for Sport Shift Transmission), the new gearbox will offer the same characteristics as the VW’s gearbox. One clutch will deal with the first, the third and the fifth gears while a second clutch will deal with the second, fourth and sixth gears. The gearbox will offer three modes: city, sport and super-sport.
The current four-wheel drive system has been updated and has a new name, S-AWC (for Super All-Wheel Control). The three differentials are still present but an active stability control, ASC*1has been added to the Active Centre Differential, ACD*2. The ABS system has also been improved, making it sportier. The S-AWC also adds a yaw rate back control.
Coupled with the sporty 2 litre 300 bhp engine, the new twin-clutch gearbox and the updated four-wheel drive system promise to provide a lot of fun.
The new Mitsubishi L 200 seems to be ready to roll out of Mitsu’s Thai factory. Its new 2.5 and 3.2 litres diesel engines will be fitted with the latest common-rail technology. In August, the customer will be given the choice between single and double cabin as well as 4X2 and 4X4 transmission systems. This new L 200 has nothing to do with the 2007-expected baby SUV PSA and Mitsubishi are co-developing. Let’s hope these new cars will allow the Japanese carmaker to overcome its financial difficulties